Trina Hayes

Hy-Vee, Inc. strengthens its retail media network through a new partnership. The company's in-house retail media network, Redmedia, now collaborates with Rippl Network, a national consortium of regional grocers and convenience stores in the United States. This alliance signifies a strategic move towards expanding market reach and enhancing advertising opportunities for both networks. #HyVee #RetailMedia #Partnership Progressive Grocer Path to Purchase Institute Check out the full article at https://lnkd.in/dmdtcVhR

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Walmart's momentum continues to surge as Walmart Connect gains traction. In its recent earnings call, Walmart highlighted robust growth in retail media, further fueled by its acquisition of VIZIO. The company's focus on advertising, membership, and marketplace is reshaping its profit strategy, leading to a significant 46% increase in global ad revenue year over year. Check out Jacqueline Barba article at https://lnkd.in/eAG8afk5 Path to Purchase Institute

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One Connection Can Change Everything Many years ago, I had the opportunity to deliver a presentation at a major shipping company’s headquarters in Tennessee. The audience was a full auditorium of employees, and my topic was organized retail crime (ORC)—what it is, how it works, and what role they could play in helping retailers, manufacturers, and law enforcement. Months later, one of the attendees reached out to me. He had come across a damaged box, and inside it was a large quantity of over-the-counter medications bearing security labels from several retailers, including the one I worked for at the time. Because he had attended my session, he knew exactly what he was looking at—and more importantly, he had my contact information. That one phone call set off a chain of events. I was able to bring in Homeland Security Investigations, and together we confirmed the product was being shipped by a traveling booster group to their fencing location. The discovery ultimately led to the takedown of a significant fencing operation. This experience reinforced for me just how crucial networking and partnerships are. At every event, it’s important to connect, exchange information, and build relationships. Today, we often lean on LinkedIn for that—and rightly so—but sometimes a phone number or email is just as vital. In loss prevention and asset protection, these connections are more than professional courtesies—they can directly lead to case resolutions and impactful investigations. And when external partners, whether private industry or federal agencies, come together, the results can be powerful. This is just one example of how a simple connection turned into a major success story. Partnerships matter. Networking matters. If you have a great networking story to share, please put it in the comments below. #LossPrevention #AssetProtection #OrganizedRetailCrime #Networking

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The Home Depot®, the world's largest home improvement retailer, today reported sales of $45.3 billion for the second quarter of fiscal 2025, an increase of $2.1 billion, or 4.9% from the second quarter of fiscal 2024. Comparable sales for the second quarter of fiscal 2025 increased 1.0%, and comparable sales in the U.S. increased 1.4%. Their latest results highlight a powerful retail truth: when customers feel confident making small upgrades, the whole ecosystem benefits. 📊 Q2 Highlights: Total sales: $45.3B (+4.9% YoY) U.S. comparable sales: +1.4% Adjusted EPS: $4.68 (slightly up from $4.67) Net earnings: $4.6B, flat YoY FX headwinds trimmed ~40bps off comps Over 470,000 associates powering 2,353 stores and 800+ branches 🛍️ What’s Driving Growth? CEO Ted Decker credits momentum from smaller home improvement projects—a shift that reflects changing consumer behavior. Customers are investing in comfort, functionality, and DIY pride. That’s a signal of resilience and optimism. 💡 Why This Matters: Home Depot’s performance shows that retail strength isn’t just about big-ticket items. It’s about meeting customers where they are—supporting their goals, budgets, and creativity. That’s a lesson for every retailer navigating uncertainty. #RetailTrends #HomeImprovement #DIYBoom #ConsumerConfidence #RetailLeadership

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Same-day grocery is easy to promise and very hard to do profitably. Most retailers start with the P&L. They ask: how do we make same-day work without destroying margins? They add fees, cut assortment, outsource the experience. On paper it looks fine. In reality, NPS drops, repeat rates fall and the unit economics never really improve. At Rohlik Group we took the opposite path. We started from customer obsession: would I be proud to offer this to my own family? That meant same-day delivery as a standard, 15-min time windows, ultra-fresh product and almost perfect availability. NPS became our daily report card. I still read NPS comments every morning. Every late van, every bad substitution, shows up immediately as a lower NPS, and we treat it as a defect in the system, not a problem with the customer. To deliver same-day at scale while keeping a very high NPS (80+ in all markets), you cannot rely on spreadsheets and point solutions. You need an AI-native operating system that: • Sees the whole journey end-to-end – from demand to fulfilment to last mile. • Orchestrates people, robots and vans in real time to keep every promise. • Optimises every decision for both customer happiness (NPS) and contribution margin. When you do this, customer obsession and economics stop fighting each other. You can be faster, more reliable and more personal than the local store, and still be profitable order by order. That is exactly the system we built inside Rohlik. And we are opening it up as Veloq – an AI-driven operating platform that helps grocers deliver same-day service with top-tier NPS and strong unit economics. Let me know if you are interested in learning more!

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Getting ready for the Convenience Store Leadership Summit taking place during the ECRM Convenience Store Innovation Session February 2-4, 2026 in Destin, Florida. Our speakers include: Derek Gaskins bp Matthew Bunevich 7-Eleven Lee Wilburn Casey's Chris Costagli NielsenIQ Brian Owens Retail Cities Our retail leaders and industry experts will discuss key trends influencing the convenience store industry- C-store is still a huge growth channel: ~$174B in annual CPG sales (+$19B foodservice) with an expanding store footprint—brands that win here drive real velocity, not just distribution. The channel is shifting from “quick stop” to “destination”: shoppers will go out of their way for the best snack assortment, and “better-for” is outperforming—big opportunity for differentiated innovation (protein, fiber, cleaner labels). Value + policy changes are reshaping impulse categories: SNAP restrictions could materially change candy purchasing—brands need a plan (pack/price, promos, eligible alternatives). The next disruption is already here: EV adoption reduces pump-driven trips, increasing the importance of “monetizing dwell time” with the right food, beverage, and experience offers. #insights #convenience #retail #trends #CPG

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Wholly owned Kroger subsidiary Harris Teeter has revealed its plans to open several new store locations across its operating region, which include expansion into new markets for the company. The new stores – slated to open over the next couple of years – will serve communities in Jacksonville, Fla.; Clemson, S.C.; Kannapolis, N.C.; Lake Wylie, S.C.; and Fort Mill, S.C. "This expansion represents an exciting chapter for Harris Teeter as we extend our reach to serve more neighbors across the Southeast," said Danna Robinson, director of corporate affairs and customer relations for Harris Teeter. "We've seen incredible support from our customers, and this growth allows us to meet rising demand while continuing to deliver the exceptional experience our brand is known for.”

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Walmart is ready to build a $300 million fulfillment center in North Carolina that will focus on shipping large items such as patio furniture and lawnmowers directly to customers, as soon as the next day, North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein announced on Tuesday. https://lnkd.in/ee-Bf6m5

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